KSEAB SSLC Carnatic Music key terms

A melodic framework of Carnatic music defined by a specific ascending and descending sequence of swaras, characteristic phrases, and emotional colour, within which improvisation and composition take place.

The ascending scale of a raga, showing the order in which swaras rise from lower to higher pitch and which notes are omitted or sharpened on the way up.

The descending scale of a raga, listing the swaras in order from higher to lower pitch; it may differ from the arohana in notes included, giving the raga its distinctive shape.

A raga whose scale uses zig-zag or out-of-sequence movement of swaras rather than a straight ascent or descent, for example Kalyani's phrases or Begada's turns.

A parent or melakarta raga from which other ragas (janya ragas) are derived by omitting, adding, or reordering notes while keeping the parent's basic scale structure.

A derived raga born from a janaka raga, using a subset or altered form of the parent scale; examples include Mohana from Harikambhoji and Hindola from Natabhairavi.

One of the 72 parent scales of Carnatic music, systematically arranged by the Katapayadi system into twelve chakras of six ragas each, forming the complete grid of sampoorna ragas.

The set of defining features of a raga: its scale, characteristic phrases, graha and nyasa swaras, and behaviour in ascent and descent, used to identify and elaborate it correctly.

The starting note on which a raga's phrases or a composition conventionally begin, shaping the opening character of an alapana or kriti.

The resting or concluding note on which phrases of a raga settle, giving a sense of completion; different ragas favour different nyasa swaras.

The rhythmic cycle of Carnatic music, made of angas such as laghu, druta, and anudruta, which measures the time frame within which compositions and improvisation unfold.

One complete cycle of a tala, from the first beat back to the first beat; compositions and kalpana swara passages are counted in avartanas.

A structural subunit of a tala, such as laghu, druta, or anudruta, whose combination and order define the identity of each of the 108 talas.

A tala anga consisting of a beat followed by counts of the fingers; its jati (3, 4, 5, 7, or 9) determines the length of the laghu within the cycle.

A graded exercise set in the seven suladi talas, sung in sarali and janti patterns, training the student in swara placement, tala counting, and breath control.

The first systematic swara exercises, sung in Mayamalavagowla, moving stepwise through the scale in ascending and descending patterns to build basic pitch and tala discipline.

Swara exercises in which each note is sung twice per beat, doubling the syllable count and strengthening rhythmic control before more advanced alankaras are attempted.

The principal Carnatic concert composition, typically in three sections (pallavi, anupallavi, charana) with text and swara passages, composed by figures such as Tyagaraja and Dikshitar.

The opening section of a kriti, stating the main melodic and textual idea; the term also names the improvised raga-tala composition that forms the centrepiece of a concert.

The second section of a kriti, following the pallavi; it develops the theme, often in a higher register, and leads back to the pallavi or onward to the charanam.

The third and usually longest section of a kriti, carrying the main textual content; kritis may have several charanams, sometimes with madhyamakala sahitya.

A composition combining fixed swara passages with sahitya, used to open a concert or as a study piece; it systematically presents a raga's phrases and is classed as tana or pada varnam.

A composition in which swara passages and sahitya alternate, often with multiple sections; associated with composers such as Syama Sastri and used to teach raga form.

Written notation of a musical composition using swara syllables and symbols for duration, octave, and tala, allowing the piece to be preserved and taught accurately.

The octave register in notation, marked by dots above or below a swara to indicate the higher (tara) or lower (mandra) octave relative to the middle sthayi.

A single unit of time in tala counting, represented in notation by a swara syllable or a dash for extension; the number of aksharas per avartana fixes the tala's length.

Unmetered improvisation that unfolds a raga's phrases without tala or text, moving gradually from lower to higher register and revealing the raga's characteristic movements.

Improvised elaboration of a chosen line of sahitya within the tala cycle, varying the melody while keeping the text and rhythmic framework intact.

Improvised swara passages sung in the tala after a composition, building increasingly complex patterns and often culminating in a rhythmic korvai before returning to the pallavi.

A pre-composed rhythmic passage in swaras or percussion, built of repeated patterns that converge on a common ending point, used to close kalpana swara or tani avartana.

The main improvised piece of a concert, comprising alapana, tanam (rhythmic untexted phrases), and a pallavi line elaborated with niraval and kalpana swara.

The reference pitch or tonic against which all swaras are tuned; in Carnatic practice it is usually held by a tambura and chosen to suit the performer's voice.

A musical note named sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni; each has a fixed position relative to the sruti, and variants (such as suddha and prati) alter its interval.

A numerical code assigning syllables to digits, used to number the 72 melakarta ragas and to encode other musical data in traditional treatises.

A long-necked drone instrument with four strings tuned to the sruti and its fifth, providing a continuous reference pitch throughout a Carnatic performance.

A large plucked string instrument with frets and a resonating gourd, central to Carnatic solo performance and noted for its sustained, vocal-like tone.

The principal double-headed barrel drum of Carnatic music, tuned to the sruti, played with complex finger and palm strokes to accompany compositions and tani avartana.

A percussion solo within a concert in which the mridangam player elaborates rhythmic patterns and korvais, accompanied by the tambura and other percussion.

A sixteenth-century Kannada composer regarded as the pitamaha of Carnatic music, who systematised sarali varisai and alankaras and wrote thousands of devaranamas.

A Kannada devotional song, typically by Haridasa composers such as Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa, sung with bhakti emphasis and often used in teaching.